Last night HoopSexy was a total blast. We had 13 amazing dancers show up and shake their booties to a movement journey. We turned off all the lights and the room was dimly and festively lit by little red and yellow holiday lights. The partial darkness was liberating, and I watched hoopers let go even more. Our music ranged from psy-trance, to Brazillian, tribal house music, hip hop to ambient yoga style tunes. There was some fun vocal moments, and lots of creativity. Strawberries and organic chocolate flowed freely as did smiles and sweat. Wow! I'm never quite sure what will happen at these gatherings and the fact that so many people show up always feels like a blessing. Hoop Sexy feels like a party more than a class, and I so look forward to it.
It is an interesting balance... I want to provide some light facilitation.. but I also want dancers to have their own experiences... We began with names and one word which people thought of when they thought, "sexy". It was great because I could anchor the class in some of the words which people shared...
We started and I cleared my mind and just let phrases and ideas spontaneously move through me...
sometimes it was single words for people to focus on for a while.
open
focus
breathe
precision
balance
faith
attitude
up
down
further
sometimes it was short phrases.
accelerate your blood
try that move in a new way
do it down lower
open your dna to a new pattern
say yes in your movements
Try two hoops! Try three hoops!
take it to the floor
sometimes it was more detailed suggestions.
Imagine you are shooting rainbows through your hoop up into the universe!
Imagine that your hoop is covered with lips which are kisssing you all over your body while it whirls!
Bring the jungle into your hoop dance... feel leaves brushing your arms, breathe in the humid air...
imagine your hoop is blowing bubbles all around you!
Dance like a spirit having a blissful human experience....
Sometimes it was leading people through a specific move... silence... lots of beauty. I love holding space for Hoop Sexy!
This morning, I had to cut my hour hoop practice short to 45 minutes to make Nia class... but in the time I spent, I felt lots of inspiration to work in my outflow direction... I had a bit of a conversation with myself, inviting my body to cleanse, purify and become more healthy and radiant. And I grooved. I tried snake while doing a some complex footwork and found myself sweating from the exercise! Wow...
My fascination with footwork continued into Nia class in the Mission District. It was my first class with Danielle, a radiant, shining and talented teacher who really led a wonderfuly empowering experience. We did various moves like cha-cha-cha, box step, waltz, etc in thr routine that I am inspired to incorporate into my new more fitness oriented hoopdance classes. It is a huge challenge to hoop and do some of these moves repeatedly.. especially when trying it while hooping in both the inflow and outflow directions on various parts of the body like pump and snake.... I wonder if I could do it while hooping in spunk? I can't wait to try. Nia is so amazing.... it is like my dance prayer to restore my center, helping me walk the talk of my hoop in brand new ways...
I'm off... still lots of word to do to prepare for the upcoming IDEA World Fitness conference. I never imagined a trade show/conference would be so much work. Something inside of my tells me this is all part of my path and all worth every moment of effort. It is an interesting premonition similar to when I was doing Hulaerobics for Universal Pictures. At the time, I felt like it was a stretch for me, but I grew so much from the experience and so much positivity has been created in my life because of it. I am excited and inspired to become part of the the fitness industry and bring some bootie-rockin soulful dance art into the mix! Thank you!